With a guide
Guides and charters near Shellsford Access
Captains who run Center Hill and the Caney Fork, with their own phone numbers. You call and book with them directly.
Gone Fishin’ Expeditions
Largemouth, smallmouth, crappie, bluegill, catfishCall 615-814-4832gonefishinexpeditions.com
Trout Zone Anglers
Rainbow, brown and brook trout, smallmouth, muskyCall 931-261-1884troutzoneanglers.com
StriperFun Guide Service
Center Hill and Normandy walleye, Tims Ford stripers, Caney Fork troutCall 931-403-2501striperfun.com
What to bring
Tackle for Shellsford Access
Three picks from the largemouth bass checklist that work for the fish here. Affiliate links: buying through them pays this site a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Spending more? The bigger purchases, compared side by side:
How to get there
Getting to Shellsford Access
Shellsford Access is a public access point on Collins River in Warren County, Tennessee, run by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.
TWRA holds no written directions for Shellsford Access. Use the coordinates below, which come straight from the state’s access record and drop you on the access point itself rather than on the nearest town.
Shellsford Access is 3.5 miles east of McMinnville, the nearest town with its own page here. The closest other public access is Old VFW Access, 2.6 miles to the north-west on the same water. For bait, Outdoor Shop Inc in McMinnville is about 3 miles away.
Coordinates 35.67579, -85.70852
What you can catch
Fish you can catch at Shellsford Access
Collins River holds these, according to the county research behind this site and TWRA’s own species notes.
One of the few rivers in Tennessee with a genuine musky population, TWRA stocked it from 1982 through 2006 and it now sustains itself; the oxbow at the mouth creates the peninsula that most of Rock Island State Park sits on.
What you can keep
Fishing limits at Shellsford Access
What you can keep from Collins River at Shellsford Access. Collins River has no limits of its own, so the statewide limits apply. These are the ones for the fish it holds.
| Fish | Daily limit | Length | Where or when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Largemouth bass | 5 black bass combined | No minimum | Statewide |
| Smallmouth bass | 5 black bass combined | No minimum | Statewide |
| Bluegill | No limit | No minimum | Statewide |
| Rock bass | 20 | No minimum | Statewide |
| Muskellunge | 1 | 36 in minimum | Statewide |
| Channel catfish | No limit under 34 in | Only one over 34 in | Statewide |
From the 2026–27 Tennessee Fishing Guide (TWRA), in effect 1 August 2026 to 31 July 2027, checked 25 September 2026. Rules change, so check the guide before you keep a fish.
8 public boat launches in Warren County, counted from TWRA’s own access database.
What it looks like
Collins River around Shellsford Access
What the water at Shellsford Access actually looks like. Drag or swipe through. Every picture opens that water’s own page.
Collins RiverOpen the Collins River page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0
Barren Fork RiverOpen the Barren Fork River page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0
Center Hill LakeOpen the Center Hill Lake page →Tyler White / Public domain
Collins RiverOpen the Collins River page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0
Barren Fork RiverOpen the Barren Fork River page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0
Center Hill LakeOpen the Center Hill Lake page →U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, photographer not s / Public domainNext one along
More Collins River access near Shellsford Access
The closest other public access points on Collins River, measured straight line from Shellsford Access. Each one opens its own page with directions.
Shellsford Access water holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, crappie.
Other water close by
Other fishing near Shellsford Access
Public access on other water within 20 miles of Shellsford Access, including Barren Fork River and Barren Fork. Handy when the wind is wrong on Collins River or the ramp is busy.
Bait on the way
Bait and tackle near Shellsford Access
The closest shops to Shellsford Access that this site has checked. Outdoor Shop Inc in McMinnville is nearest, about 3 miles away. Call ahead in winter, when smaller shops cut their hours.
Your turn
Rate and review Shellsford Access
1. Tap your stars
2. Add a few words if you like
What visitors say
Loading visitor ratings
Where to next
Around Shellsford Access
Shellsford Access is one access point. These pages cover the rest of the water and the rest of the county.